Dome-cover for oil-cars



w. K. BONHAM. DOME COVER FOR 0H. CARS.

APPUCATION .FILED FEB. 25, .1920.

138,82; Liatenmd Nova 2%,

I'JILFLIAEI IllIfBONHAli, 01h GOFFEYVILLE, KANSAS.

l ,aaasae.

7 '1) n]! whom it may; concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM BONHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at (otlew'ille in the county of Montgomery and State of Kansas, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in Dome- (overs for Oil-Cars; and ii do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will en.- ablc others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object ol the invention is to provide a cover for the dome of a tank car suitable and designed for the transportation of oil and like material of a more or less volatile nature, which, while capable of application and removal with said facility, will prevent the escape of gas or vapor irom the dome and hence will minimize or eliminate the risk of fire and explosion to which the transportation of such products under ordinary condition is subject; and with this object in view the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accom panying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a tank car dome provided with zfcover constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the latch mechanism showing the retainer in its disengaged position.

The cap or cover consists essentially of a cylii'idrical diody portionor plug 10 which is cxtcriorly threaded to engage correspond-.

ing threads in a seat 11 formed by a collar which is disposed Within the dome l2 of the tank car indicated at 1?), in registration with the-cap or cover opening, and at its inner end said body portion or plug is tapered as indicated at 1 1- for contact with an inclined or conical seat 15 arranged at the inner terminal oi the collar iorn'iing the plug seat and constituting in effect a contraction of said plug seat and a stop to limit the inward adjustment of the plug. This contracted portion of the plug seat formed by the annular conical lid 15 is preferably oi brass or equivalent relatively soft metal as also preferably is'the ta 'iercd portion 14: of the body or plug of the cap or cover to the end that when the latter is screwed snugly to place there is established an intimate tapered tight contact between the plug and the ledge. The body portion of the cap fipccification of Letters Patent.

llatented. Nov, 29, llBfZiL Application filed. February 25, 1920. Serial Ho. 3 61 3%.

or cover is preferably flanged as shown at 16 to overlap the wall of the seat and as indicated it may carry a central stud or handle 17 and an eccentric stud 18 with which may be engaged a lever to assist in turning the cap or cover Into place or removing the same. Said central and eccentric studs will constitute convenient; fulcrums for the lever.

To provide again t the possibility of the loosening of thecap-or cover by reason of a vibration or jarring of the car in transit the upper surface thereof may he provided with a plurality of sockets 19 for engagement by a latch 20 which may as shown he pivoted as at 21 to a suitable standard 22 or its equivalent rising from the upper end of the dome of the car, and a gravital weighted locking arm 23 alsopivoted upon said standard may be arranged to drop into contact with the latch when the latter is engaged with the adjacent socltet 1.9, to pre vent accidental disengagement while permitting the operator when necessary to release the latch merely by lifting the weighted end of the retainer. In the construction illustrated the latter consists of a ll shapotl' loop of which the closed end is provided with an enlargement 24 disposed trans? to bear upon and secure the latch in its cover or cap locking position.

'1 he retainer may be employed to hold the latch in its raised or disengaged position din-- ing; the time that the cap or cover is unseated or is being removed or replaced to avoid the possil'iility oi injuring the same and to hold it out of the way of the operator, it being simply necessary to raise the latch and drop the retainer over the free end thereof to effect the indicated object. W' hen the latch is required for further use in locking the cap or cover it may be released by raising the retai er whereupon the dropping of the latter wi 1 permit it to resume its locking position with relation to the latch to maintain it in engagement with the socket of the cap or cover.

In order that the accumulation of gas or vapor due to evaporation and which may have created. a considerable pressure, may be relieved before the cap is entirely removed, the side wall of the cap is provided with one or more vent channels 25 constructed as grooves in the outer surface of the wall and; having outlets 28 formed in the rim of the cap exteriorly of the dome, said channels beturned sli ing closed ettheir inneeends, when the cap I the hearing ledge 15, the lower ends of said -"ent channels are exposed, and the pressure of vapor Within the dome may escape prior to the complete removal of the cap or cover.

l'l hnt is claimed is:

1, in tank cor provided with a dome having an oneningin its top,.zin internally threaded collar Within the dome in line with the opening; thereof and terminating at its lower end in a conical seat, and a plug externally threaded to match the internal threads of the collar and having its end toyere-rl to engagethe conical. sent of'the said collar, end having an outer rim to overlap the top of the dome rim having lateral 7' messes "openings therein, and the body of the plug lrnving grooves in its sides in communication at their 11 per ends with the lateral openings and a opted to be closed at their' ing screwthreaded connection therewith and provided in its top with a plurality of sockets, grevital latches pivoted to the standards and adapted to engage certain sockets to secure the plug against loosening, and retainare mounted on the standards and adapted to engage the latches to hold them in operntive engagement with the plug or outof the path thereof. I

In testimonywhereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM K. BONHAM. Witnesses:

' H. B. Cruise,

QAnoLYn BURGHART. 

